Winnipeg’s Indian and Métis Friendship Centre battles with AIM over who sits on the board, and what they can wear

Another election was held to create a new board for the embattled Indian and Métis Friendship Centre in Winnipeg Wednesday night.

The centre was incorporated nearly 60 years ago – but has been in the limelight lately because of allegations of mismanagement and infighting.

There is hope that the new board will turn things around – but the voting process wasn’t without some heated moments.

The tense moments involved board members and voters with ties to the American Indian Movement who some thought were taking over the board and creating their own agenda.

“The membership has come to an agreement that only five members of the American Indian Movement will be allowed on the board,” announced Kathy Guimond-Doyle, interim chair of the meeting. “They’re not allowed to wear their patches and they are to swear an oath that they’re protecting the interests of the centre and not their group.”

9 Responses to “Winnipeg’s Indian and Métis Friendship Centre battles with AIM over who sits on the board, and what they can wear”

Creator has his way of doing things. When we ask him for things sometimes he says no. We are all human beings and have many faults. We tend to forget the 7 teachings. The one I observe most is the lack of humility. Humans seem far removed from alot of these teachings. As Members of the board we took on one hell of a responsibility being elected to the board. We had to deal with the tail end of 9 years of mismanagement. There was unaccounted monies leaving the center. Ramped theft, Shredding paperwork detrimental to the function of the centre. We all where doing our best at getting back on track I never heard an unkind word about the centre or those working there. We had no Money we were living off of $40.000 of overdraft I know that some members and employees used there own out of pocket money to help supply food for the drop in and the soup kitchen. I also think the work that Aim has done by no means is perfect I for one am not perfect. Creator gave us a mission we fulfilled that mission with all good intentions. Again creator guided us. I myself stepped down. I am burned out I have to make some personal changes to heal my Spirit. To the future I hope that real healing at the center continues.and the community can work with the centre to make a positive change down the road. Please don’t sweat the small stuff.

AIM will serve the Centre membership with all of their hearts! Im not sure where in the IMfC constitution that states that only a certain # of any kind of group can run or what they can and camt wear…we all wear smiles anyways ✌

i personally think they should have a outside source In charge of the balloting and announcing who won. that would put to rest all problems with inappropriate going one. and then everyone involved who is voted in will be the ones voted without issue and everyone will know where everyone stands

The reason AIM members were asked not to wear their patches and such is that some people who utilize the IMFC, and the Aboriginal Senior Resources of Winnipeg group member who are housed in the building, feel intimidated and intruded upon when some (not all) AIM members walk in and around the building like they own the centre, when indeed they do not own it. The IMFC belongs to the Indigenous community in Winnipeg and not one particular group. I support the AIM group full heartedly and indeed have some good friends who are members of the group. However, gang mentality that serves to exclude any one member of the overall Indigenous community in Winnipeg and that seeks to form a monopoly in the centre, is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. That is why I stipulated these guidelines in the minutes which serve as a legal binding document. If any of the board members who were elected this past Tuesday ignore these rulings, their positions on the board will be automatically terminated by the funders of the IMFC. The IMFC is for all the people, not just a few.

Oh people get a grip !!! Patches lmao.. the previous people who were on the board didn’t have to wear patches and they stole funding that was meant for the people. Everyone has a problem with Aim, why? Because they wear patches , come on don’t be so judgemental, give them a chance to do their jobs in there and if they don’t then you can grumble and bitch, until then shaddap get off your freaking high horses and let them work. You people act like a mob with pitchforks!!

Well its absolutely ridiculous that those So called (board members) were allowed to do anything without criminal record checks. Without the Criminal record checks from the last AGM they cannot call a (legal) AGM and they cannot RUN again because they were never (legal) board members in the first place If you do not have Criminal record checks and child abuse checks in place as board members you automatically forfeit your directorship! not to mention you cant change the Constitution without a separate AGM being called specifically to change the constitution what they did is illegal by IMFC policy and bylaws and the constitution and by Manitoba Corporations Act what they did to that lady screaming in her face ganging up on her was despicable that’s not respect for your Elders that’s intimidation through fear! Nobody cares they are AIM or that they wear patches it what they represent and what they represent is themselves they don’t represent the community values or the laws that protect it. If they had good intentions and were nice people then who cares right if they wear patches or rep AIM i certainly wouldn’t care as long as they were doing good for the community but THEY ARE NOT! They are yelling at old lady’s they are assaulting people uttering threats and bullying people who get in there way of their agenda which is using IMFC funds to platform their own personal interests and AIM not to mention exploiting IMFC funds to bankroll there family and friends and AIM. In my Opinion they are not legal board members never have been to begin with and someone needs to stop this insanity they are all criminals up to no good and without criminal checks or child abuse checks they are in violation of the constitution They are simply not recognized by the community cause without the CRC they are a FARCE!!!

everyone knew there were aim members even though they denied it then bragging on facebook congratulation the aim men and women getting on board,,,should be a re-election norman lagimodiere ran for board he was the one taking the ballots and the one reading the ballots ,that is wrong and messed up